Newsletter

🍕 How Detroit is changing Pittsburgh’s pizza scene

Newsletter for Saturday, Mar 10 2018

Taking the stairs

It's been a bad year for the Pittsburgh Pirates, and a tweet showing the Pirates' mascot, Pirate Parrot, at a GOP dinner attended by Kellyanne Conway this week has only made it worse. The photo first appeared on a Twitter account belonging to a Washington Post reporter and quickly set off a backlash among Pirates fans who thought the team mascot should not have been used in such a partisan setting. Pirates President Frank Coonelly was also at the event, but the team insists the visit wasn't political in nature. And this isn't the first time a sports mascot — or Pirate Parrot, for that matter — has found itself in the middle of the political fray, as we found out. Meanwhile, with President Trump coming to town this weekend to stump for GOP 18th District candidate Rick Saccone, the social media fury is likely to continue, at least for a few more days.

At this time last year, Pittsburgh had never tasted Detroit-style pizza. This year, two Detroit-style pizza parlors call the city home, offering up the Rust Belt delicacy to long lines of pizza lovers who pack their restaurants every week. We sat down with the pizzaiolos to hear the stories behind each pizza and learn what makes their slices different. Whether you try Iron Born at Smallman Galley in the Strip District or Michigan & Trumbull at Federal Galley on the North Side (or both — really, you must try both), here's what to expect in this thick, square-cut treat.

On the Calendar

In this hands-on workshop, Penn State Master Gardeners will explain how to start herbs from seed, pot up starter plants, and determine when it is time to transplant outdoors. Materials to create your own herb garden will be provided.

It's a little like HGTV irl at the Home & Garden show, which comprises 1,800 exhibits across 10 acres. Check out the technology at the Dream Home Innovation Center and ask all your plant questions at the Garden Resource Center. The show runs daily through March 11. Pro-tip: If you buy your tickets online, you get a free one-year subscription to Better Homes & Gardens magazine. Before you go, check out our list of 11 *actually* free things to do at the show, including sipping wine, petting dogs and gawking at robotic lawn mowers.

More than 30 of food trucks will be on-site for an indoor Food Truck-a-Palooza-Winter. Try out food truck fare, hear live music, explore a craft market, and vote for your favorite food truck. Admission does not include food truck or craft vendor goods. Proceeds benefit Monroeville Volunteer Fire Department #6.

Maya Angelou's landmark memoir "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" had been adapted for the stage, and it opens in Pittsburgh on March 10. Angelou's family and state Representative Jake Wheatley are expected to attend.